<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>The Huntress by Smokestarrules</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341110">The Huntress</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smokestarrules/pseuds/Smokestarrules'>Smokestarrules</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Gen, I hc that Weiss met Coco before she came to Beacon, idk it's cute to me for Weiss to look up to her a bit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 07:28:59</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,585</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24341110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Smokestarrules/pseuds/Smokestarrules</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Weiss meets an intriguing not-stranger at one of her performances and gets some Huntress advice.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Coco Adel &amp; Velvet Scarlatina, Weiss Schnee &amp; Coco Adel</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>The Huntress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>The Huntress</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
Weiss had known she was expected to meet with people at this particular gathering; she had resigned herself to the fact that she would be talking to a bunch of snooty Atlas elites all night eons ago. </span>
</p>
<p>She hadn't thought, however, that she'd get to speak with perhaps the most out-of-place person at the banquet, but life was funny sometimes. Which is how Weiss soon finds herself meeting one Coco Adel, only five minutes after she'd made her way into the ballroom after her performance.</p>
<p>It was almost like the older girl had been waiting for her.</p>
<p>“Well, well, well,” Coco Adel steps forwards and offers a handshake to the other girl. “Weiss Schnee? Pleasure to meet you.”</p>
<p>“Coco Adel, was it?” Weiss responds with a firm shake. “And to you.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss is someone who knows a </span>
  <em>
    <span>lot </span>
  </em>
  <span>of people’s names. It just wouldn’t do to forget someone important, after all. Coco Adel is an up and coming fashion </span>
  <em>
    <span>star, </span>
  </em>
  <span>who, on top of still going to the top huntress school in Vale, frequently visits Atlas to make her own designs and sell them almost extraordinarily cheap. She’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>not </span>
  </em>
  <span>someone to be trifled with.</span>
</p>
<p>Weiss hasn’t known she’d be at this particular gathering, but she doesn’t show her surprise. This is Atlas. Anything can happen here.</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m shocked you know me,” Coco says, a crooked grin tugging at the corner of her mouth. She has </span>
  <em>
    <span>sunglasses </span>
  </em>
  <span>on, despite the room having extremely good lighting. “Figured I’d be too </span>
  <em>
    <span>small and humble</span>
  </em>
  <span> to catch the attention of the Schnee’s. The Reporters’ words, not mine.”</span>
</p>
<p><span>And that’s true, because Coco Adel kept selling her clothing for so goddamned </span><em><span>cheap. </span></em><span>Weiss hadn’t heard the end of it from her father; about how </span><em><span>awful </span></em><span>it was that she do that because even the faunus</span> <span>in </span><em><span>Mantle </span></em><span>could buy them and how </span><em><span>she gives us a bad name, in the politician business, </span></em><span>and </span><em><span>whoever’s even heard of her parents, eh? They were lumberjacks down on the streets of Mistral. It’s a wonder she’s even gotten this far. </span></em><span>But Weiss can’t say that. “We pride ourselves on knowing everyone who is high-up in business,” Weiss says curtly. </span></p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh, I’m </span>
  <em>
    <span>flattered</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” Coco responds, pushing up her sunglasses and giving her an </span>
  <em>
    <span>outlandish </span>
  </em>
  <span>wink. Weiss stiffens. The rumors surrounding Coco Adel haven’t been </span>
  <em>
    <span>entirely </span>
  </em>
  <span>good. She’s considered one of the most frequent heartbreakers in Atlas </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>Vale at the moment. This, however, doesn’t seem like she’s serious; the wink gives way to a genuine grin, and it doesn’t look as if Coco is going to flirt with her much more. </span>
</p>
<p>Weiss wonders if she should cut their conversation short, but she much enjoys talking to someone closer to her own age, and she knows if she leaves here, her father will undoubtedly pull her into meeting someone else much less polite. Coco also seems content to stand beside her, watching the dancers from behind her shades.</p>
<p>“How do you do both?” Weiss hadn’t meant to say that. She’d been thinking it, had deemed it too personal to ask.</p>
<p>“What do you mean?” Coco’s eyebrows rise, but she doesn’t look away from the people dancing. </p>
<p><span>“Er- your clothing store and</span> <span>your studies at Beacon,” Weiss elaborates. “You’re training to become a Huntress, right? It must be hard, going back and forth like that.” </span><em><span>And expensive, </span></em><span>her brain adds. Rides to Atlas aren’t exactly cheap, and although Coco is clearly doing quite well with Lien, she can’t have </span><em><span>that </span></em><span>much, can she?</span></p>
<p>“Ah.” Coco huffs a breath through her nose and although her teasing grin doesn’t fade, she sounds confused by the question. “Well, it helps to have a good team.” A fond expression crosses her face. Weiss wonders if she keeps the sunglasses on because her eyes would give too much away if she didn’t. “They keep me notes for school when I’m in Atlas. I try not to come here that often, but sometimes it’s unavoidable, y’know?”</p>
<p>“I’ve… never been out of Atlas,” Weiss admits. “I’m needed here.” </p>
<p>"Really?” Coco turns to her, then. “I can’t imagine staying here my whole life.” She gestures toward the dancers and to the important people talking, including Weiss’ father. “Too stuffy. Too many people caring more about themselves than anyone else. No offense,” she sends Weiss another of her grins. “I’m sure you’re better company than the rest of them.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss ignores the flirting, certain</span>
  <em>
    <span> (hoping, really) </span>
  </em>
  <span>it was said in jest, and changes the conversation. “So, you fight, then? What’s your weapon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coco pats the briefcase she’s carrying, which Weiss had only just noticed. “Here she is,” Coco says, “Gianduja. Beauty, right? And you don’t even want to see what she looks like when she’s in her second form.” Her eyebrows rise in curiosity. “Do you have a weapon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> How had she known? Weiss had made sure no one other than her family and Klein knew of her fighting ability. “Yes,” she admits, after a moment. “I have a sword. Myrtenaster.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss hadn’t even known there was tension on Coco’s shoulders until it left then. The older girl finally turns completely towards her and grins wider. “Ha! I knew it.” A beat. “What school are you planning on?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss crosses her arms. “How do you know I’m planning on a school like that?” But she is, she absolutely is, because she wants nothing more than to get out of the </span>
  <em>
    <span>hellhole </span>
  </em>
  <span>her father calls a home, and she’d </span>
  <em>
    <span>love </span>
  </em>
  <span>to have a chance to fight and save people from Grimm, but she has </span>
  <em>
    <span>no idea </span>
  </em>
  <span>how she’d ever be able to leave.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Coco just gives her a pointed look, and opens her mouth to respond, but is cut off by Weiss’ father suddenly approaching them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah, Ms. Cadel, is it?” Jacques doesn’t extend a hand to Coco, and instead places his arm around Weiss’ shoulders, keeping her there.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Adel, actually,” Coco corrects, dipping her head to him. “It’s nice to finally meet you, Mr. Schnee. Your daughter has been showing me the amazing hospitality of the Schnee family.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course.” Jacques smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. They’re as cold as ever. “So, I’ve heard you’ve said this is your last Atlas visit for now, then? Have you decided to move your stores to Vale?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nah, I just want to focus on school right now.” Coco gives him a shrug. Weiss can’t believe she’s acting so unprofessionally in front of </span>
  <em>
    <span>her father. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“I’ll be back, but for now my shops will have to continue working without me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A shame,” her father says in a tone that means it is decidedly </span>
  <em>
    <span>not a shame. </span>
  </em>
  <span>“You’ve done quite well here.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>Despite your dirt-poor beginnings </span>
  </em>
  <span>is what he doesn't say, but the twitch in Coco’s expression tells a Weiss she hears it anyways.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I have, haven't I?” She responds, seeming to pick her words more carefully now. “Oh!” Her head snaps up, eyes catching on someone behind Weiss. “Oh, Velvet darling, come join us!”</span>
</p>
<p><span>Weiss hadn't known Coco had brought a guest, and to her surprise, it's not a human who walks shyly up to them, but a </span><em><span>rabbit</span></em> <em><span>faunus. </span></em><span>Weiss twitches, but she forces the automatic fear back down. She </span><em><span>knows </span></em><span>it isn't right to feel that way about the faunus, but she can't help it.</span></p>
<p>
  <span>“This is my plus-one for tonight, Velvet Scarlatina,” Coco introduces her friend smoothly, “she is my teammate at Beacon and team CVFY’s secret weapon.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jacques’ face tightens, and all he can manage is a weak, “pleasure,” before he's rushing away under the pretense of seeing another old friend.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry darling,” Coco turns back to Velvet. “But he was killing me. Velv, this is my good friend Weiss Schnee. Weiss, this is Velvet.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ah- hello,” Velvet has a strange but endearing accent and Weiss can't help but smile back. “It's nice to meet you!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And you,” Weiss dips her head. “I do apologize for my father. He is not quite the easiest to get along with.” </span>
  <em>
    <span>That's an understatement. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, we know,” Coco replies. She pauses, and then says to Velvet, “little Schnee here wants to be a Huntress. Don't you think she'd be good at Beacon?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Velvet blinks, surprised. Weiss frowns, but doesn't correct Coco. “Beacon could always use more students,” is what Velvet settles on, smiling shyly at Weiss. “If that's where you decide to go, of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I never said I wanted to go anywhere,” Weiss says curtly. Coco snorts.</span>
</p>
<p>“Look. I can tell you want to get out of here as much as I do. You're a year younger than me, right? If you’d like, I can put in a good word for you with Professor Ozpin.”</p>
<p>
  <span>Weiss bristles. “If I want to get into that school, I can do it </span>
  <em>
    <span>myself</span>
  </em>
  <span>,” she snaps. “I don’t need anyone’s help.”</span>
</p>
<p>That makes Coco laugh approvingly. “Fair enough.” She extends a hand out to Weiss. “Good luck. I hope to see you there!” After shaking Weiss’ hand, she turns back to Velvet, who had been watching their exchange with a polite smile. “Well. Fancy gettin’ out of here early, dear?”</p>
<p>Weiss watches them go.</p>
<p>She wonders if she’ll ever be free enough to see them at Beacon.</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>(Roughly a year later, Coco - her sunglasses hanging neatly on her shirt - is standing outside of Beacon, chatting with her team as she suddenly, randomly happened to catch Weiss’ eye from across the courtyard. She doesn't look surprised to see Weiss, and gives her a wink and a large grin.)</span>
  </em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading!</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>